Blues boss Paul Jewell says he’s looking for new signing Lee Bowyer to add to his side’s midfield goal threat this season. Skipper David Norris left at the end of last season having top scored with 11 goals.

Jewell said: “I spoke to Lee at Stansted on Saturday night and he liked what we had to say. He has played at the highest level for most of his career, so we are obviously delighted to have him on board. He brings bags of experience as well as quality and he also will add a goal threat.

"Most of all though, he has that winning mentality. He has that desire, that aggression that you need to get to the top.

"I know Birmingham were relegated last season, but anyone who knows about football knows that Lee Bowyer is a winner. He has been that all his career and he will bring that attitude into our dressing room. That's why there were some top clubs after him."

Bowyer joined the Town squad in Holland earlier today and is set to make his first appearance for the Blues in Tuesday's first pre-season friendly against FC Eindhoven (KO 3.30pm, local time). TWTD will be there to bring you a full report.

Elsewhere, veteran midfielder Michael Brown, linked with the Blues earlier in the summer, has joined Leeds United on a free transfer having been released by Portsmouth.

Photo: Action Images

Mark added 19:24 - Jul 11 Bowyer's 10 goals in 71 games (1 in 7.1) for Birmingham is pretty good considering these were at Premier League level. It compares favourably to Norris's 13 goals in 106 games (1 in 8.2) and Leadbitter's 7 goals in 77 games (1 in 11) for us, especially given that Grant is our penalty taker! If Bowyer is the central midfield player looking for goals (assuming 4-4-2), where does Leadbitter fit in? His contract is up next summer, so let's sign or sell him! I'm glad we didn't sign Brown.

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IvorTheEngine added 19:26 - Jul 11 I want to say about 15 goals please with bowyer
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bedsitfc added 19:30 - Jul 11 i am just glad everyone is off cleggs back and will now accept he is our c.e.o.
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ipswichm8 added 19:56 - Jul 11 10 to 20 goals
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Basil_Smallpiece added 20:06 - Jul 11 He'll notch up half a dozen yellows and two reds. Two dislocated knees and a broken ankle (someone else's, that is), a couple of black eyes, some torn ligaments and a handful of stud impressions (on someone else, of course). And maybe one goal. And a bunch of foul abuse at anyone else on the pitch. Blue shirt, black shirt, any other coloured shirt - don't matter. He'll abuse anyone.

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brainbox added 20:08 - Jul 11 With Lee Bowyer's welcome arrival now is the time we should sell off Leadbitter while he has a year on his contract and we can recoup some of the largely wasted money that we paid for him - this would be good business for the club and also get rid of the annoying habits he has of crabbing in midfield and playing the majority of his passes backwards!! - end of rant....

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DiamondGezzer added 20:16 - Jul 11 Looking forward to the report, obviously so are you Basil !
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keebs_itfc added 20:18 - Jul 11 maybe leadbitter and bowyer could work together?! i know leadbitter has been a bit of a flop but if we dont get anyone else in then i dont think bowyer and leadbitter would be such a bad cm pairing! 30+ for you bowyer please :D
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fourth added 20:43 - Jul 11 Leadbitter has rather failed to play realistically. Long range shots that are dramatic but unsuccessful are no use to anyone. He needs to use his talent differently. That is PJ's job Young Bowyer's goal potential is secondary to setting up the strikers
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jas0999 added 21:15 - Jul 11 What you see is what you get with Bowyer. Yes, he may well pick up several bookings and a red card. But he will get stuck in and give you an edge. To be blunt, Lee is one of those players you hate when he is playing against you, but the sort of guy you want in the team!
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Lightningboy added 21:57 - Jul 11 I too would be glad to see the back of Leadbitter now than lose him for zilch next summer...considering he cost us £3.5M we haven't had our money's worth have we?! At best he's very average for this division and gets booked far too often - almost like paul scholes does but that's where the comparison ends really. I'd take a million or so now for him and go out and get Bullard signed up.

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joshberry94 added 22:03 - Jul 11 considering we were thinking about signing Michael Brown a couple of weeks ago, i would say Bowyer is a huge step up in class from him. the fact that he was playing frequently in the Premiership only last season tells you all you need to know about him. As for the goal threat, i believe he will not only score goals, he'll score important ones. i see him as the type of player that when the going gets tough he is there to drive the team forward at crucial stages of a game. that is exactly what we need and have been lacking in the past seasons!

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blues1 added 22:18 - Jul 11 basilsmallpiece. what a typical example are you of someone who opens their mouth before putting their brain into gear. how many suspensions did norris & leadbitter serve last season? if my memory serves me correctly, 2 each. & bowyer>(in a division where the game so much quicker)? none. yes, thats right, none. so just do your homework before making ridiculous, unfounded statements

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SheffieldBlue1 added 22:31 - Jul 11 I'm hoping he takes Leadbitters place in the line-up as I don't rate him at all. His passing just isn't enough for a central midfielder and the long shots that he so constantly takes just brakes up attacks and very rarely go in. Defensively he can be very rash as well (even though I realise the hypocrisy in this whilst speaking about Bowyer).
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Garv added 22:42 - Jul 11 £2.5m lightening but I agree completely with the argument.
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Tractorog added 23:00 - Jul 11 Apparently we will be signing David Haye as his sparring partner.
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DashluvsITFC added 23:17 - Jul 11 A great signing and definitely the "midfield general" we have been missing for quite a few seasons...Bowyer will hopefully motivate other players around him..would be a worthy skipper as well...he and leadbitter may gel well...if we do add Bullard, that would be fantastic too..welcome to ITFC LB, do us proud this year!!!!!!
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rosseden added 00:19 - Jul 12 blues1....... i love this sentiment...... ''so just do your homework before making ridiculous, unfounded statements'' if only....... if all the people who engaged their mouth before their brain left the site there'd be about half as many people on here!
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MickMillsTash added 05:57 - Jul 12 Leadbetter showed genuine quality when he first signed. We know he has it and it will be up to Jewell (and him) to get the best out of him. I really think it is harsh to judge him too much in the garbage of a team we have had for the past 2 seasons
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Suffolk_n_Good added 07:02 - Jul 12 I agree mickmillstash, I don't think you can read to much into Leadbitters performance certainly last season, we had a very poor team, I think playing someone like Bowyer playing alongside him will give Leadbitter a new leash of life, he had a cracking first season & I believe we will see better from him this time around.
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MVBlue added 08:21 - Jul 12 Anyone else think Paul Jewell has raised our wage limits now? I think the Wickham cash is being used for wages...
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Luggworm added 08:44 - Jul 12 I agree that Leadbitter has disappointed over the last season and a half and I would really like to see him get back to his early form, however I thought he was one player that didn't improve after PJ arrived and if he doesn't pick up in the new look midfield he needs to be shipped out.
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saffronblue added 09:06 - Jul 12 I would quite like to see Hyam given another go in CM alongside Bowyer, he looked good early in the season last year and it would be good to see our excellent youth given a chance. That said I think Leadbetter always played better when Norris was not on the pitch so we may see the best of him again. Would prefer PJ to bring in a creative wide man and a CB to be honest.

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textbackup added 09:42 - Jul 12 Bowyer will improve Leadbitters game, simple....
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Surco72 added 11:19 - Jul 12 Leadbitter will be much more of an attacking force next year with Bowyer alongside him ,i am expecting a big year from Grant who has under achieved dramatically since a promising start .Linking with better experienced players like Ellington,Bowyer ,Chopra will aid Grants progession no end wait and see
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